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William A. Nuerge

Independence, KY | Distinguished Ag Alumni: 2004

After long hours on the job, Bill
Nuerge fills his time with almost a dozen
hobbies, and every one has a name.
They’re his family—wife Teri; children
Amy, Aaron, Branden, Andy, Josh, Austin,
and Kelsey; and three grandchildren.
Their time together ranges from
sporting events—the children’s, college
and pro games—to amusement parks,
horse races, fishing trips and some
travel. Holidays and birthdays bring them
all together, too, when they often play
football on the Nuerge’s seven acres and
soccer on a nearby field. The family buys
several season tickets to the Cincinnati
Bengals and Reds, and whoever is
available goes. Purdue and Colts football
games are popular, too, as is an annual
trip to Hawaii.
“They’re smart. They’re interesting,
and it’s enjoyable to see them grow,”
Nuerge says of his clan. His oldest child
is 29, and his youngest, 15. “And then
there are the grandchildren. I have a
blend. I enjoy the relationships between
the older kids and younger kids. They
take care of them and have a lot of fun
together. I also try to get individual time
with everybody.”
His family time is more precious than
ever because he was a long time earning
it, he says. A father during his college
years, he worked full time and studied,
too. Then from 1994 to 2000, he
commuted to his Kentucky job while his
family stayed in Lafayette, Indiana.
“I missed six years. Now they’ve all
migrated here with me,” he says. “They
are a challenge and a lot of work, too. I
want to keep them on track as long as I can
and get them through these difficult
years. So my time is spent with my family.”
“I worked full time when I went to Purdue,
so I learned the work ethic, the values of taking
care of yourself and managing your time.
More than anything else, Purdue provided
me with something worthy to work toward.”